To the Jews he avoucheth his power by the witness of John who was a man sent of God. (9) And foretelleth in a parable their reprobation most worthy (with the vocation of the Gentiles in their place) (17) and consequently their irreparable damnation that shall ensue thereof. (20) He defeateth their snare about paying tribute to Caesar: (27) he answereth also the invention of the Sadducees against the Resurrection. (40) And so having put them all to silence, (41) he turneth and poseth them, because they imagined that Christ should be no more but a man: (45) bidding all to beware of the Scribes (authors of the Jews’ schism from him) being ambitious and hypocrites.
AND it came to pass in one of the days, when he was teaching the people in the temple and evangelising, the chief Priests and the Scribes with the Ancients assembled, 2and spoke saying to him: [a] Tell us, in what power doest thou these things? or, who is he that hath given thee this power? 3And Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you one word. Answer me. 4The Baptism of John was it from Heaven, or of men? 5But they thought within themselves, saying: That if we say, From Heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him? 6But if we say, of men; the whole people will stone us; for they are certain that John is a Prophet. 7And they answered that they knew not whence it was. 8And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you in what power I do these things.
9And he began to say to the people this parable, * A certain [b] man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen: and he was from home a long time. 10And in time he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who beating him sent him away empty. 11And again he sent another servant. But they beating him also and reproachfully abusing him, sent him away empty. 12And again he sent the third; who wounding him also, cast him out. 13And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps when they shall see him, they will reverence him. 14Whom when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying, This is the heir, let us kill him, that the heritage may be ours. 15And casting him forth out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the Lord of the vineyard do to them? 16He will come, and will destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid. 17But he beholding them said: What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become into the head of the corner? 18Every one that falleth upon this stone, shall be quashed; and upon whom it shall fall, it shall break him to powder. 19And the chief Priests and Scribes sought to lay hands upon him that hour; and they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this similitude to them.
* 20And watching, they sent spies which should feign themselves just: that they might take him in his talk, and deliver him to the principality and power of the President. 21And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly; and thou doest not accept person, but teachest the way of God in truth. 22Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no? 23But considering their guile, he said to them: Why tempt you me? 24Show me a penny. Whose image hath it and inscription? They answering said: Caesar’s. 25And he said to them: Render therefore the things that are Caesar’s, [c] to Caesar; and the things that are God’s, to God. 26And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and marvelling at his answer, they held their peace. 27 * And there came certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him, 28saying: Master, Moyses gave us in writing, * If a man’s brother die having a wife, and he have no children, that his brother take her to wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 29There were therefore seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30And the next took her, and he died without child. 31And the third took her. In like manner also all the seven, and they left no seed, and died. 32Last of all the woman died also. 33In the resurrection therefore, whose wife shall she be of them? Sithens the seven had her to wife. 34And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; 35but they that • shall be [d] counted worthy of that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor take wives; 36neither can they die any more, for they are • equal to Angels; and they are the sons of God, seeing they are the sons of the resurrection. 37But that the dead rise again, Moyses also showed, beside the bush, as he calleth the Lord: The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38For God is not of the dead, but of the living; for all live to him. 39And certain of the Scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well. 40And further they durst not ask him anything.
41But he said to them: * How say they that Christ is the son of David, 42and David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, 43till I put thine enemies, the footstool of thy feet? 44David then calleth him Lord; and how is he his son?
45And all the people hearing him, he said to his Disciples: 46Beware of the Scribes, that will walk in robes, and love salutations in the market-place, and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the chief rooms in feasts. 47Which devour widow’s houses: feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.
Footnotes
- ↑ See Annot. Mat. c. 21, 23.
- ↑ See the marginal annotations Mark 12.
- ↑ So duties must be done to Princes, that our duty to God be not neglected: See Annot. Mat. c. 22, 21.
- ↑ The greek oι καταξιωθεντες importeth also this much They that are made worthy, to wit, by the grace of God; and so they are indeed worthy: as also in the next chapter verse 36. and 2. Thess. 1, 5.
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. XX.
↑ 35. Shall be counted worthy.) This truth and Speech that good men be worthy of Heaven, is according to the Scriptures, and signifieth that man’s works done by Christ’s grace do condignly or worthily deserve eternal joy: As Sap. 3. God proved them, and found them worthy of himself: and Mat. 10. He that loveth his father more than me, is not worthy of me. and Colos. 1. That you may walk worthy of God: and most plainly Apoc. 3. They shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy: as of Christ (c. 1) Thou art worthy, o Lord, to receive glory &c. And that, to be counted worthy, and to be worthy, is here all one, it is plain, the Greek word, which St. Paul useth so, as the Adversaries’ own English Testaments do testify, reading thus Hebrew 10. Of how much sorer punishment shall he be worthy, which &c. And it must needs signify, because men for sins are not only counted, but are indeed worthy of punishment, as themselves do grant. They do greatly therefore forget themselves, and are ignorant in the Scriptures, and know not the force nor the value of the grace of God, which doth not only make our labours grateful to God, but worthy of the reward which he hath provided for such as love him. See the Annot. 2 Thess. 1, 5.
↑ 36. .Equal to Angels) Saints of our kind, now in their souls, and after their resurrection in body and soul together, shall be in all things equal to Angels: and for degree of bliss, many Saints of greater merit shall be above diverse Angels: as St. John Baptist, the Apostles, and others, and our Bl. Lady above all the orders of holy Spirits in dignity and bliss: and no marvel, our nature by Christ being so highly exalted above all Angels.
Margin Notes
- 1. TUESDAY.
- annot. 35. To be worthy of heaven, or to deserve and merit it.
- annot. 35. καταξιωθηναι αξιωθηναιby
- annot. 36. The dignity of Saints.
Margin References
- 1. Mat. 21, 23. Mar. 11, 27.
- 9. Esa. 5, 1. Mat. 21, 33. Mar. 12, 1.
- 17. Psa. 11, 22.
- 20. Mat. 22, 15. Mar. 12, 13.
- 27. Mat. 22, 23. Mar. 12, 18.
- 28. Deu. 25, 5.
- 37. Exo. 3, 6.
- 41. Mat. 22, 44. Mar. 12, 36.
- 42. Psa. 109, 1.
- 46. Mat. 23, 6. Mar. 12, 38.
- annot. 35. The new Testament. anno 1580.
